Low carbon certification of agricultural production using field GHG measurements. Development of an integrated framework with emphasis on mediterranean products
The urgent need to mitigate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in agriculture has prompted the development of certification systems aimed at promoting sustainable and low carbon practices. Although several low carbon certification systems for agricultural products exist in the European Union (EU), their...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2024-06-01
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| Series: | Case Studies in Chemical and Environmental Engineering |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666016424000604 |
| _version_ | 1831875133161078784 |
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| author | G. Bartzas M. Doula A. Hliaoutakis N.S. Papadopoulos N. Tsotsolas K. Komnitsas |
| author_facet | G. Bartzas M. Doula A. Hliaoutakis N.S. Papadopoulos N. Tsotsolas K. Komnitsas |
| author_sort | G. Bartzas |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The urgent need to mitigate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in agriculture has prompted the development of certification systems aimed at promoting sustainable and low carbon practices. Although several low carbon certification systems for agricultural products exist in the European Union (EU), their adequacy for accurately measuring, evaluating, reporting, and verifying agricultural emissions and sequestration as well as associated carbon/GHG reduction credits at the farm level remains limited. This study presents a standardized approach to low carbon certification of agricultural production developed under the ClimaMED LIFE project, focusing on the integration of field-site GHG measurements (CO2, CH4, N2O emissions) into the certification framework. In this context, a six-stage low carbon certification system that incorporates a Tier 3 methodology encompassing several innovative on-site data collection and analysis technologies such as Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) and Internet of Things (IoT) telemetry is proposed. This integrated approach has been developed for five agricultural products, i.e. olive trees, grapes, cereals, pistachios and vegetables cultivated in the Mediterranean region based on several low-carbon practices implemented and monitored at farm level (15 pilot fields in total). This study also explores the challenges and opportunities associated with implementing such an integrated framework, considering technological, economic, and policy dimensions. The proposed framework shows significant potential as a valuable tool that can be easily adapted to several agricultural products to assist public authorities, policymakers, certification bodies, and agricultural stakeholders seeking to establish a robust and transparent certification system for evaluating and endorsing low carbon practices. This framework is expected to drive the broader incorporation of innovative technologies to accurately measure, monitor and report carbon/GHG reduction credits and promote the establishment of similar certification systems in various other sectors. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T18:35:44Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ecab253459b141a298b8e4893c4fd2d3 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2666-0164 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2025-03-21T20:40:22Z |
| publishDate | 2024-06-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Case Studies in Chemical and Environmental Engineering |
| spelling | doaj.art-ecab253459b141a298b8e4893c4fd2d32024-06-01T04:23:02ZengElsevierCase Studies in Chemical and Environmental Engineering2666-01642024-06-019100666Low carbon certification of agricultural production using field GHG measurements. Development of an integrated framework with emphasis on mediterranean productsG. Bartzas0M. Doula1A. Hliaoutakis2N.S. Papadopoulos3N. Tsotsolas4K. Komnitsas5School of Mineral Resources Engineering, Technical University of Crete, Kounoupidiana Campus, GR-73100, Chania, Greece; Corresponding author.Laboratory of Non Parasitic Diseases, Soil Resources and Geoinformatics, Department of Phytopathology, Benaki Phytopathological Institute, Kifissia, GR-14561, Athens, GreeceLaboratory of Geophysical Satellite Remote Sensing and Archaeoenvironment, Institute for Mediterranean Studies, Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas, GR-74100, Rethymno, GreeceLaboratory of Geophysical Satellite Remote Sensing and Archaeoenvironment, Institute for Mediterranean Studies, Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas, GR-74100, Rethymno, GreeceGreen Projects S.A., Chalandri, GR-15238, Athens, GreeceSchool of Mineral Resources Engineering, Technical University of Crete, Kounoupidiana Campus, GR-73100, Chania, GreeceThe urgent need to mitigate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in agriculture has prompted the development of certification systems aimed at promoting sustainable and low carbon practices. Although several low carbon certification systems for agricultural products exist in the European Union (EU), their adequacy for accurately measuring, evaluating, reporting, and verifying agricultural emissions and sequestration as well as associated carbon/GHG reduction credits at the farm level remains limited. This study presents a standardized approach to low carbon certification of agricultural production developed under the ClimaMED LIFE project, focusing on the integration of field-site GHG measurements (CO2, CH4, N2O emissions) into the certification framework. In this context, a six-stage low carbon certification system that incorporates a Tier 3 methodology encompassing several innovative on-site data collection and analysis technologies such as Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) and Internet of Things (IoT) telemetry is proposed. This integrated approach has been developed for five agricultural products, i.e. olive trees, grapes, cereals, pistachios and vegetables cultivated in the Mediterranean region based on several low-carbon practices implemented and monitored at farm level (15 pilot fields in total). This study also explores the challenges and opportunities associated with implementing such an integrated framework, considering technological, economic, and policy dimensions. The proposed framework shows significant potential as a valuable tool that can be easily adapted to several agricultural products to assist public authorities, policymakers, certification bodies, and agricultural stakeholders seeking to establish a robust and transparent certification system for evaluating and endorsing low carbon practices. This framework is expected to drive the broader incorporation of innovative technologies to accurately measure, monitor and report carbon/GHG reduction credits and promote the establishment of similar certification systems in various other sectors.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666016424000604Integrated carbon certification frameworkOn-site GHG measurementsLiDARIoT telemetry networkCarbon creditsAgricultural products |
| spellingShingle | G. Bartzas M. Doula A. Hliaoutakis N.S. Papadopoulos N. Tsotsolas K. Komnitsas Low carbon certification of agricultural production using field GHG measurements. Development of an integrated framework with emphasis on mediterranean products Case Studies in Chemical and Environmental Engineering Integrated carbon certification framework On-site GHG measurements LiDAR IoT telemetry network Carbon credits Agricultural products |
| title | Low carbon certification of agricultural production using field GHG measurements. Development of an integrated framework with emphasis on mediterranean products |
| title_full | Low carbon certification of agricultural production using field GHG measurements. Development of an integrated framework with emphasis on mediterranean products |
| title_fullStr | Low carbon certification of agricultural production using field GHG measurements. Development of an integrated framework with emphasis on mediterranean products |
| title_full_unstemmed | Low carbon certification of agricultural production using field GHG measurements. Development of an integrated framework with emphasis on mediterranean products |
| title_short | Low carbon certification of agricultural production using field GHG measurements. Development of an integrated framework with emphasis on mediterranean products |
| title_sort | low carbon certification of agricultural production using field ghg measurements development of an integrated framework with emphasis on mediterranean products |
| topic | Integrated carbon certification framework On-site GHG measurements LiDAR IoT telemetry network Carbon credits Agricultural products |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666016424000604 |
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